I try not to let worries of money stress me out.... But it does get to me... Especially when I realize I may have to go a week without food while waiting for my food stamps to come in.... And if I can't get a ride, I may have to go without even longer....I think I am being picked on by life, sometimes. But's that okay. Life and I are good buddies... I know life doesn't mean no harm. It just is the way it is. I can accept that.

No not really for me. My husband and I have an emergency fund we are continually adding to. Having my husband around is really good for our finances as he is really good about saving. We also always shop around for what ever we are about to buy. We like the phrase "Buy the best for the least".Gail*Nanners* Co-Moderator for Anxiety/Panic ForumBeen living with Crohn's Disease for 33 years. Currently on Asacol, Prilosec, Estrace, Prinivil, Diltiazem, Percoset prn for pain, Zofran, Phenergan, Probiotics, and Calcium and Xanax as needed. Resections in 2002 and 2005. Also diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Osteoarthritis and Anxiety. Currently my Crohns is in remission.

*Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it by the handle of anxiety, or by the handle of faith"*

Money in general is and was not a source of stress for me lately. However, I did not plan appropriately at a younger age to save for my retirement. I will get a tidy retirement from my civil service job but not enough to live in the manner to which I have become accustomed. So now through my own fault, I am not as comfortable that my retirement will go well. My husband does not want me to retire when I'm eligible (Sep 2010) because our house will not be paid off and we have a large house payment. I want to retire here and go to work doing something else, less stressful and more interesting) to make up the difference between my retirement annuity and my current salary.

My spouse and I were both poor kids and we've spent 30 years making up for it in buying what we want when we want it. Not a good thing and I even knew it at the time.

THe current state of the ecomony is causing additional stress because my husband has been cut from 10 days of work per pay period down to 8.5 days per pay period. At least he still has his job, which many people can't say these days. As he and I keep our money separate, I have picked up some of the expenses he was paying until he returns to a full pay period.

Thankfully I live in an apartment so don't have the added stress of worrying about if something may break down in a house and the finances of covering that. I make a phone call and a maintenance man shows up. And, thankfully, I do have an emergency savings account that I do have part of each paycheck deposited into every two weeks. I try to live on the money in my checking account and so far so good. I have cut back on any spending other than "needs" and have re-evaluated spending and bills and stuff so am okay for now. Thank God for my job and my parents for raising me to value a penny and not spend money I didn't have. The old saying of "if I can't pay cash for it, I don't need it" is really coming into play.

Right now, money is a stress to me, more so than ever. I've been missing a lot of work lately because my Crohn's is flaring. I don't qualify for my employer's short-term disabilty because the Crohn's is considered a pre-existing medical condition. I am divorced and live alone.....